Abstract

The aim of this contribution is an investigation of causal interdependences between
electricity consumption and GDP in Poland. Our research was conducted for total electricity
consumption as well as for the industrial consumption of electricity. In order to reflect the causality
between GDP and electricity consumption properly we performed our investigations in a threedimensional
framework with employment chosen as an additional variable. We used reliable quarterly
data from the period Q1 2000 - Q4 2009. In order to check the stability of the causalities the
investigations were performed on two samples: a full sample and a pre-crisis (i.e. Q1 2000 - Q3 2008)
subsample. We applied both traditional methods as well as some recently developed econometric
tools.
We found feedback between total electricity consumption and GDP as well as between total electricity
consumption and employment. We also found unidirectional causality running from industrial
electricity consumption to employment and no direct causal links between industrial electricity
consumption and GDP. In addition, all these findings were, in general, not seriously affected by the
financial and economic crisis of 2008. A significant exception is the causal effect of industrial electricity
consumption on employment, which was more pronounced after the crisis of 2008.

Item Type:

MPRA Paper

Original Title:

The electricity consumption versus economic growth of the Polish economy

English Title:

The electricity consumption versus economic growth of the Polish economy